Steam Deck Devs Explain Steam Deck’s Probable Future, And Maybe Why A More Powerful Switch Isn’t Here

I recently read an article from The Verge where Sean Hollister got to talk to Lorenzo Yang and Pierre Loup Griffais, designer of Steam Deck, on the portable gaming PC that gamers love. It’s a really good interview with a lot to learn, so I highly recommend going and reading it all. Griffais and Yang talk about how Valve wants to work with other companies to integrate SteamOS with their hardware, the potential for a Steam Controller 2, and more. However, the part that stuck with me was when the pair talked about the hardware upgrades their team is looking for for Steam Deck.

For starters, they talk about how the battery design currently implemented in Steam Decks isn’t ideal because it’s hard for users to replace. The team has already implemented some changes to make this problem less of a problem. They also talked about the fans and how some Steam Decks use a Delta Electronics fan which tends to whine while in use. If you’re having this problem, there appear to be a few workarounds you can implement, including ordering a Huaying fan from iFixit or using duct tape creatively (do both at your own risk). However, Yang also explained that while Valve stopped using Delta fans for a while, they’re back to using them as they’ve created a foam solution to help with the noise.

Those two tidbits are fine, but it’s later in the interview that I really got excited. Hollister asked Griffais and Yang about areas of hardware they wanted to improve in a new Steam Deck, and they responded to battery life and screen. The pair were asked about improving the performance of the handheld, and Griffais gave an incredibly insightful answer:

Right now, the fact that all decks on Steam can play the same games and that we have a goal for users to understand what kind of level of performance to expect when playing games and for developers to understand what to aim for…there is it is very valuable in having that one specification.

I think we will choose to hold the single performance tier for a bit longer and only look to change the performance tier when there is a significant gain to be made.

This looks awfully familiar for some reason. The other big gaming handheld is the Nintendo Switch. Its first hardware update saw an increase in battery life. Next was an improved screen. Neither included performance increases. huh. Let’s sit with that for a minute. It’s fascinating how both companies seem to think the same way about their hardware upgrades. Now, Valve and Nintendo are very different companies and their products are related, but also different. It’s not a perfect 1:1 comparison. However, this nugget here might give us an idea as to why we haven’t seen a more powerful Switch yet.

Nintendo has made some energy boosts in the past. Do you remember when they launched the New Nintendo 3DS in 2014-2015? It was more powerful, but I’m not sure how well it performed compared to the original 3DS and sadly I can’t find those numbers. However, I’d be surprised if a lot of people who already had 3DSs went out and upgraded. The Switch is still selling like crazy, and I guess Nintendo saw how a simple hardware upgrade wouldn’t be worth it. They should probably charge more, which already alienates many consumers; consumers could easily be confused by “Switch Pro”, “Switch U”, “New Nintendo Switch” or whatever they call it; and let’s face it, not enough people would upgrade to make it worth it. It is most likely more important for Nintendo, like Valve, to see and understand the value of having a single expectation for consumers and developers.

I know I vented a bit, but I read the interview and it all clicked! Maybe Nintendo will prove me wrong and announce a performance upgrade for the Switch soon. I think we’re more likely to hear about the Switch’s successor in the next year or two, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t just a more powerful Switch. Nintendo tends to do best when it really aims to shake up the gaming industry. What are the highlights of the interview? I know now I’ll probably wait for better screen and/or battery before getting a Steam Deck.